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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29196117">Rinse And Repeat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/anasticklefics/pseuds/anasticklefics'>anasticklefics</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bonding, Gen, Tickling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:20:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,673</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29196117</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/anasticklefics/pseuds/anasticklefics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Natasha keeps seeking Tony out at night.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Natasha Romanov &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rinse And Repeat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Natasha knew that Tony knew what she was doing. At one point in her life she might’ve been subtle about it; not have given into her need several days in a row. But the Avengers had cracked something in her that had once been frozen, and now she found she couldn’t be bothered to pretend the crevice wasn’t growing.</p>
<p>The first night she’d found Tony in the dimly lit kitchen, an empty cup resting in his palms as he waited for the water to boil. She grabbed one for herself noiselessly, their eyes meeting but neither of them saying a thing. Tony merely ducked his head in greeting, fingertips drumming against his mug. Hot red, with white cracks on the damaged parts. Maybe a symbol, if Nat had been into that sort of thing.</p>
<p>She’d sought him out because she was desperate, but she found herself hesitating now. The circles under his eyes spoke of long nights with no sleep. Whether it meant he’d had a bad week or a productive week she wasn’t sure. Her own body felt restless despite the hour, but they’d found each other wandering around the halls in the middle of the night before and so she didn’t expect him to ask, but of course he did.</p>
<p>“Can’t sleep?”</p>
<p>She shook her head.</p>
<p>“Tea might help.”</p>
<p>“I’m hoping it will,” she replied, as if it had been her whole reason for being there. He didn’t have to know. At that point he didn’t yet. “You?”</p>
<p>“Same.” Tony turned toward the kettle, the sound getting fainter as it finished up its one and only job. “Let me.”</p>
<p>He poured the water into her cup while she searched among their quite excessive tea collection for something soothing, just to keep her facade up. “This one?” She held up the package.</p>
<p>“Sure. Thanks.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t awkward, but it didn’t have the usual daylight flair of trying too hard to have things feel natural. In the middle of the night when both were feeling exhausted, restless, deprived, Natasha and Tony spoke without using words. She’d never had expected that when she’d arrived at Stark Industries named Natalia years prior.</p>
<p>She was certain he’d planned on returning to his quarters with his cup, but instead he sat at the table, silently inviting her to do the same. She settled beside him, both staring ahead as they waited for their tea to cool. If someone entered this would probably look quite strange, but Nat felt herself relax at his side.</p>
<p>“So.”</p>
<p>She turned to watch him, their bodies facing each other ever so slightly now. “So?”</p>
<p>“How’s your tea?”</p>
<p>“I haven’t drunk it yet.”</p>
<p>“Oh. Right.”</p>
<p>She lifted the cup to her mouth and blew on the drink to cool it before taking a sip. “It’s good.”</p>
<p>“Good.”</p>
<p>She felt herself grin. “We’re having some profound conversations tonight.”</p>
<p>He let out a laugh, sudden and loud. “Aren’t we? It almost feels as if we’re giving too much of us away if someone’s listening.”</p>
<p>“We better be quiet, then.”</p>
<p>“Should we?” He tilted his head at her. Had she been anyone else, she might’ve averted her gaze. “I say screw them. We shouldn’t not participate in profound conversation just because someone might be listening.”</p>
<p>She raised her cup. “Cheers to that.”</p>
<p>They toasted. They drank. Natasha leaned into him for a moment as they resumed their staring ahead, elbows knocking, shoulders merging. That was all she dared do that night, unsatisfied and restless still, but when she caught Tony’s eye after she’d pulled away, she knew he knew.</p>
<hr/>
<p>She found him in the chilly living room the next night, someone - maybe Tony himself - having left the window open to let the dry December air in. Tony was sitting on the couch beneath a quite frankly huge blanket, tablet in hand. She shivered in greeting, and his eyes found hers in amusement before he pulled one side of the blanket off of him to invite her under it.</p>
<p>Miraculously, she accepted; settling down beside him as he returned to his tablet. She had no reason to be in there at this hour. No tea, no book. Just her, so obviously seeking out his company. He didn’t question her. In fact, they didn’t speak for nearly ten minutes before she heard him sigh and put the tablet down.</p>
<p>“Are you warm enough?”</p>
<p>She slid down further on the couch, knees knocking into his own curled up ones. “Yes.”</p>
<p>“I was only going to air the room out a little, but got too comfortable to get up and close the window. I should’ve asked you to do it when you were standing.”</p>
<p>She shrugged. “It’s quite nice, actually. A nice contrast.”</p>
<p>“And it gives us a reason to snuggle all up with each other.”</p>
<p>He wagged his eyebrows and Natasha shoved him, not blushing, but too close to embarrassment for comfort. “This was <em>your</em> idea, Stark.”</p>
<p>“And it worked <em>perfectly</em>.” She made a move to stand, but Tony grabbed her wrist and pulled her down again. “Oh, come on, stay. I’m sorry, it was a joke. I’m not here to force you to be cuddly with me. See?” He grabbed a pillow and shoved it beneath the blanket. “We can fit like three of these between us.”</p>
<p>That was the moment Natasha had to make a choice between dignity and comfort. For once, she chose the latter.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to pretend you don’t want to be close to me,” she said, rolling her eyes as she pushed it off the couch as if it was on fire. “I don’t bite.”</p>
<p>Tony could’ve used his knowledge against her. Could’ve reminded her of the previous night, of her need to be close without talking about it, but he didn’t. Nat would remember that for the rest of her life, she was sure.</p>
<p>He sighed and leaned into her, cheek resting against her shoulder so that she had to rest hers on his head. “Wake me if I fall asleep,” he said with a yawn, both knowing she wouldn’t.</p>
<hr/>
<p>She ditched subtlety entirely the next night and found him in his workshop, elbow deep into something she couldn’t identify. Maybe it was the fact that he was busy, combined them sleeping all laced up in each other until a confused Bruce found them the next morning, but Natasha didn’t feel like sitting on the couch to patiently wait for him to finish.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” she asked, approaching him.</p>
<p>“When am I ever asleep at this hour?” he asked, sparing her a glance before returning to his creation. “But now that you’re here, hand me that screwdriver, will you?”</p>
<p>“You’re using me for labor, I see,” she said, doing as he asked anyway. “There will be consequences.”</p>
<p>“Well, if there will be consequences now anyway, grab me that hammer.”</p>
<p>She poked his exposed side where his shirt had ridden up. “Don’t take advantage of my good heart, Stark.”</p>
<p>He jerked away from her touch. “Don’t do that.”</p>
<p>“What, this?” She poked him again. “And why not?”</p>
<p>“I’m working- god, <em>stop</em>.” He straightened, his arms covered in oil as he tried to grab her hands. “Oh, so now you’re trying to get away, huh? I’ll show you.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you <em>dare</em> touch me with that all over you,” she warned, taking several steps back as everything backfired.</p>
<p>“But I have the overwhelming urge to hug you right now, Nat, I can’t pause to wash.”</p>
<p>What a sight they must’ve been, with a dirty Iron Man chasing a now laughing Black Widow around the room. What a pair in general. Natasha still didn’t know how they had turned into this, but there was no going back now. She could feel it in her bones.</p>
<p>She could also feel Tony’s hands on her sides, gripping them enough to tackle her onto the couch, the oil-covered fingers finding her ribs. Tony probably knew she’d let it happen, but he wasn’t stupid enough to mention it.</p>
<p>She was also letting him tickle her to pieces, though it was a struggle to not turn the tables instantly. But despite the grime and the humiliation she realized as soon as she started giggling that this was needed almost as much as the physical affection she’d been trying to silently coax out of him. She hadn’t realized it before.</p>
<p>She’d save the freaking out about it all until later, when she was alone and wide awake in her bed with the sensation of Tony’s quite skillful fingers wiggling over her skin still lingering, and maybe the memory would turn the freakout into something milder.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Tony didn’t let her live it down after that. The moment she settled beside him on chairs or couches or even floors, with the night covering them like a blanket, his hands would sneak into a new spot just to try it.</p>
<p>“I didn’t expect you to be ticklish all over,” he said one night, not smirking as much as staring at her in wonder as she covered her knee after his swift attack.</p>
<p>She snorted and grabbed for his knee back, grinning when he let out a surprised laugh. “Two can play that game, Stark.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but we both know I’ll win.” We both know you’ll let me win, he didn’t add, but they both knew it.</p>
<p>She shook her head and Tony snuck in one more poke to her side before letting his hand drop, knowing not to test his luck too much. Knowing Natasha didn’t handle embarrassment well and this was toeing the edge.</p>
<p>She relaxed as soon as he leaned into her, knowing he wouldn’t tickle her again that night. It was funny. She’d not realized they had a set routine until now, but every night was pretty much the same choreography. Find Tony, sit with Tony, pester each other, cuddle. Maybe fall asleep depending on where they were. Rinse and repeat.</p>
<p>She wouldn’t change it for the world, even when Tony found out her neck was a death spot.</p>
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